Services

LATEST: Hanbury rocked by suspected murder

A SLEEPY village in rural Worcestershire was rocked today following a suspected murder.

Police and paramedics were called to School Road in Hanbury, near Droitwich – thought by many to be the inspiration for BBC Radio 4’s long-running soap opera The Archers – at about 4.35pm yesterday to reports a woman in her 40s had suffered serious stab wounds in a domestic incident.

She was declared dead at the scene and a man in his 20s was arrested shortly after.

A resident in the area, who declined to be named, said the house where the alleged murder had taken place was a rental property.

"Yesterday we could see blue lights flashing from about 4.30pm. That's when the police came.

"At about 8pm the police came and the road was closed. I thought, 'Oh gosh, there has been an accident along there'. "

Another neighbour said the house was owned by a family who live in the Channel Islands and the current residents had only lived there for a year or so.

“We were at a parish council meeting in the church and someone came in and said ‘someone’s been murdered’,” he said.

“This morning we heard that a son had stabbed his mother which sounds really awful.”

Another resident said: “We saw a police car hurtling along the read at about 5pm which was really unusual because we don’t really see police around here.

West Mercia Police commander for South Worcestershire Superintendant Mark Travis said this afternoon: “Following this tragic incident, we continue our investigations in and around the house in School Road, including searches and forensic examinations.

“I would like to reassure the local community that we believe this to be an isolated incident and no-one else is being sought in relation to our investigation.”

School Road is currently closed from Hanbury C of E First School to the junction with Pumphouse Lane.

Head of Hanbury C of E First School Andrew Payne said he had been told little about the incident.

“This is a village community and our thoughts are with the family,” he said.

“We have not been given any further information but the police have reassured us that the school is perfectly safe to open as normal.

“We’ve been reassuring parents that there is no danger to the children.”

Another resident in the area said: "Whether it was a lover’s tiff or a robbery I don’t know.

"The first time we noticed something had happened was when we saw cars coming along our road which is unusual."

The arrested man remaines in police custody and had not yet been charged.

Comments

Bufton Tufton
1:02pm Sun 2 Feb 14

"Another resident in the area said: "Whether it was a lover’s tiff or a robbery I don’t know."
The key here is "don't know" and there are of course an infinite number of other possible possibles. The Worcester News should not be publishing the speculatatory musings of a member of the public who just by chance happens to reside in the same area and "doesn't know". Anyone who does know should be talking to the police and not the Worcester News

"Another resident in the area said: "Whether it was a lover’s tiff or a robbery I don’t know."
The key here is "don't know" and there are of course an infinite number of other possible possibles. The Worcester News should not be publishing the speculatatory musings of a member of the public who just by chance happens to reside in the same area and "doesn't know". Anyone who does know should be talking to the police and not the Worcester NewsBufton Tufton

"Another resident in the area said: "Whether it was a lover’s tiff or a robbery I don’t know."
The key here is "don't know" and there are of course an infinite number of other possible possibles. The Worcester News should not be publishing the speculatatory musings of a member of the public who just by chance happens to reside in the same area and "doesn't know". Anyone who does know should be talking to the police and not the Worcester News

Ipsoregulated

This website and associated newspapers adhere to the Independent Press Standards Organisation's Editors' Code of Practice. If you have a complaint about the editorial content which relates to inaccuracy or intrusion, then please contact the editor here. If you are dissatisfied with the response provided you can contact IPSO here